What Is A Good Way To Collect Ancient Coins.

I am looking at some right now




Pics are from my IPad ...first time using IPad for pics

These are the ones I am interested in

Pick a common coin type and do a collection by die pair and variety

that's basically been my game plan as well allranger. as of late of shifted to filling in the gaps in my broad collection of ancients. I hadn't picked up a coin of domitian..so I went looking for one of those lately. didn't have an indian punchmark..so picked up that.

for now....just go with what you like and fits your budget.

As others have said, there are many different "ways" to collect ancients. You are not required to drill down and focus on a specific area; though many collectors do and are happy doing so, many others are just as happy being vague generalists (like me).

If you do decide on a theme of some kind, there are many to choose from, though be aware that some themes are more popular than others and, as with all other areas of collecting, "popularity" means demand, and demand means higher prices.

The two most popular "themes", especially for those just starting out in ancients or coming into it from modern coin collecting, are "Biblical coins" - coin types, coins from places or coins issued by people specifically named in the Bible - and "The 12 Caesars".

A more ambitious goal is "One From Every Emperor" - a task just as large and even more challenging and difficult to define than "one from every country" in modern coinage.

Another more geographic-themed collection can be formed around Roman mintmarks: the Late Roman series features mintmarks much like on many modern coinage, and collecting every mint-city can be challenging - though still much easier than trying to collect every Greek coin-issuing city-state! I'm still looking for Barcino.

If there's a particular time in history that you've found interesting or appealing, then by all means narrow down to those emperors and their families. "Imperial family" coinage, in the name of the imperial wives, children and relatives, can be just as interesting and even rarer than as coins of the emperors themselves, but often sell at a lower price because of lower demand - the "12 Caesars" and "One From Every Emperor" collectors don't want them. The Five Good Emperors presided over a Golden Age, the Empire was largely at peace and prosperous; their coinage is high-quality and the reverse designs and themes to be found are many and varied. If family intrigue, dynastic rivalry and civil wars are more your thing, then the "Late Roman" period (the Tetrarchies and the family of Constantine) can be both interesting and has the advantage of being relatively cheap and available.

Other popular themes:
- Astronomy/astrology - coins either depicting celestial objects or coins depicting the gods and goddesses the celestial objects are named after.
- Architecture - coins depicting ancient buildings, structures and monuments, some of which are still standing today.
- Propaganda - a study of the "messages" the government was trying to send out via the coinage: "The Empire is winning the war", even if they've just been thrashed - that sort of thing.

Hope this gives you some inspiration.

Since I am in no position to control what ancient coins (or ANY coin for that matter), may become available for cosideration, I just collect them all, always bearing in mind 'value for money'.

It helps to have a very good reference library, but in the current era of on line data bases, such a library need not be essential; just look up VCOINS site for similar coins that are for sale.

I just love all ancient coins irrespective of their condition or value, and having a wide horizon opens up the whole of the ancient coin market to you.

Thanks all for posting some good ideas

The thought occurs to me that there is a theme that may be appropriate to your 'situation'. In passing I had mentioned that your Trajan As had a military type reverse (always considered a plus !). Trajan while not the first emperor to do these types was the first to have a full range of types dealing with his very "aggressive" foreign policy. He added Dacia (Romania) to the empire as the need to provide for the retired veterans required additional agricultural land to provide the veterans with the stipulated "twenty acres and a mule" (plus pension) which the army provided on completion of twenty years of service. Several reverses show Dacia 'dejected' celebrating the conquest. The best types celebrating the war would be the famous bridge over the Danube reverse, the Trajans Column reverse and (my favorite) Trajan on horseback planting a spear into some unfortunate Dacian.
After this period Trajan set his eyes eastward and for reasons of "national security" decided to annex both Armenia and Mesopotamia (ie Iraq !). While Armenia was probably not a bad idea that 'other' place almost certainly was. One can imagine a Roman army marching in that sort of heat.
Anyways around 15 years ago I stumbled on this coin. One of the very few I am ashamed to say I paid through the nose for.
No regrets though.

Trajan in uniform between two trophies advancing right.
Presumably he is saying something like "This way to Bahgdad !"




His successor Hadrian upon his 'elevation' quietly withdrew the legions
and "brought the boys home"


Later types especially 3rd century show emperors wearing the uniform of soldiers (instead of the traditional toga or bare bust variety).
This one is very nice showing Probus (a most remarkable Generalissimo) wearing full battle gear.



The varieties of military types are quite extensive and would keep you occupied for decades.